


And Then Came Love

by cherikberry (puckp95)



Category: X-Men (Movieverse), X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Charles Xavier has a Ph.D in Adorable, Erik Has Feelings, Fluff and Angst, Getting Back Together, Honestly Charles What Are You Thinking, Jealous Charles, M/M, Multi, Mutual Pining, Past Relationship(s), The Author Regrets Nothing, Why do people have to fight
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-15
Updated: 2018-07-29
Packaged: 2019-06-10 22:57:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15301884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/puckp95/pseuds/cherikberry
Summary: When Charles leaves without a word, Erik is devastated. They meet again five years after school ends, and everything has changed. Sometimes people we love the most, hurt us the most.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hellooo, please let me know if I can improve in anyway :D 
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> I am sorry Charles and Erik are so silly! But then again if they weren't, how would they pine!!!! 
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> Have fun!!!!

He had known Charles since forever. He had known him when he was a complete dork in school and wore bow-ties to class. He knew him when he went through a weird backstreet boys phase and plastered his room with their posters. He had been there when he had to wear those huge rimmed glasses which looked ridiculous on him. He had known him when he finally made the executive decision to trade his bow-tie for his grandfather cardigans, “but Erik they look so cool” he had said, and looked up at him with his big blue eyes and Erik had nodded and ignored Raven’s incredulous yet betrayed expression. He was there when Charles first fell in love with genetics, and every conversation with him was a thirty minute monologue on chance and evolution. He had been there when Charles had gone on his first date with a boy who completely broke his heart. He had sat with him after and listened to him cry about how no one would ever love him, how even his own mother didn’t love him, and Erik had to kiss him, because he had never been more wrong in his life. 

They had spent the next four years blissfully in love, and Erik supposed that was more than most people could say even after a lifetime. 

X

Erik pulled uneasily at his bowtie which seemed intent on choking him. Emma had insisted he come in a suit, she had threatened to burn his wardrobe otherwise, it took a stronger man than him to test her resolve. Tonight was mostly a mistake, he usually made it a point to not attend such soirees but alas, the Snow Queen had other plans for him. He walked towards the bar, at least alcohol would make things easier to bear. He dodged conversations with people as he headed over to the opposite side of the room. He ordered himself a whiskey as he willed the time to pass more quickly, in thirty minutes he would have fulfilled his obligation to Emma and he would leave. Without his permission his mind wandered as it usually did when he was tired and a little lonely. He wondered where Charles was now, he had heard things about him, whispers about his billion dollar company and escapades had made their way into their small town. He had never had the courage to check for himself. Charles had left him, the least he could do was allow himself the courtesy to get over him. He had his dignity. And yet he could not help thinking about what it would be like if he were here, brightening up the room with his enthusiasm and his passionate prattle. He would have something to say about everything and would pout ridiculously at Erik for being such a grump. 

“Erik, darling” he started with a shock at the familiar endearment, “have you been sitting here and brooding all evening?”

“Emma” he breathed out, heart throbbing, “you surprised me”

She looked at him closely, lips pursed, evidently she didn’t like what she saw. 

“Come on” she said tugging at his arm, “we are meeting Azazel for drinks at the Bannered Mare” 

He looked at her with surprise, “but your charity dinner? Won’t people object if the host runs away?”

“Pssh, this pretentious old thing? They will be too smashed by the night to even care properly”

“Give me a minute, I just need to use the restroom”

“I will be out with Carson in the front, don’t take too long dear, or I will be tempted to leave you here”

He snorted at her as he made his way to the restroom, he needed to snap out of it. He was not spending another night lost in what could have been. He had to let it go. Somehow, even the thought hurt. He opened the door and was welcomed by the sounds of heavy breathings, and was that a moan that he heard, coming from one of the stalls. He shook his head as he turned on the tap to splash his face with water, people really had no boundaries left. The cool water calmed him, even when the door of the occupied stall thumped and rattled and someone moaned again, loudly this time. Erik froze, it was absurd, you can’t identify moans, and yet, the sound tugged at his heartstrings, the memory still fresh even after years. It couldn’t be, he was being silly, he had spent the evening dwelling on the past and now he was imagining things. What reason could Charles have to be here, except it was exactly the thing that he would expect him to attend. The Xaviers and Frosts ran in the same circles, he had fantasised about running into him at such parties. But never had he imagined something like this. He turned to leave, it would be for the better, his self-indulgence had gone too far, he reached for the tissues hanging from the box and wiped his hand and face. He would go get drunk tonight, and from tomorrow, from tomorrow, he would put a stop to this nonsense. Maybe he could meet Steve after all, he had been pleasant company. 

The door of the stall opened with a bang and Erik turned around in amusement, cutting words on his lips when he froze. He recognized the tousled brown hair and the blue eyes and oh god, it was him. His heart clenched almost painfully as he felt his throat choke with emotions and he had barely time to gather his bearings when those eyes snapped to him and widened in shock and recognition.

“Erik” Charles managed to choke out and Erik winced. 

“Charles” he managed, taking in his swollen lips and rumpled clothes, his hair in a complete disarray and fuck it was a perverse parody of everything he had ever imagined. 

He was broken out of his stupor when the man who had his fucking arm around Charles’s waist spoke,

“Who is that baby? Someone you know?”

Charles blinked at him in surprise, as if he had forgotten he existed as he stared at Erik in open mouthed surprise. 

This was it, he could take no more, he would not, could not stay like this anymore. He saved Charles the trouble of explaining, 

“Erik Lehnsherr” he said cooly, attempting to not feel the situation too closely, “Charles and I were in school together” 

“But that is brilliant!” the man exclaimed delighted, “I have always wondered what this trouble maker was like in school” and swooped down to press a kiss on Charles’s cheek.

“Warren” Charles said hesitatingly, finally breaking away his gaze from Erik and attempting to move away from his arms.

“I am afraid that I have to leave, my friends are waiting outside” 

And Erik turned and walked out without waiting for a reply, ignoring Charles’s started exclamation of his name as the door shut behind him. 

He ignored the burning in his chest as stalked out the main room, Charles was here, he was here, and he was having sex in a public washroom. He was here and he was the furthest away from Erik than he had been in five years. He pushed away at his irrational anger, Charles owed him nothing, he had moved on like a sensible person is supposed to, after all he had been the person to walk away in the first place.

He pushed past the main doors attempting to control his breathing, he looked around for Emma, eager to escape. He would drink his way into oblivion and maybe then he would stop feeling so pathetic. The road outside the hotel was fairly deserted, he walked down the stairs and moved towards the parking lot, if Emma had actually left him behind, he would kill her. 

“Erik!! Erik stop!”

He turned against his better judgement as Charles almost ran towards him.

“How could you just leave like that? Gosh!” he smiled as he neared him, “how have you been, what are you doing? It has been so long” he gushed.

“You would know all about leaving wouldn’t you” the words were out of his mouth before he could stop them, and he watched in sick satisfaction as Charles flinched, his smile fading.

“What is that supposed to mean?” he asked, his expression taking on the defensive expression Erik was achingly familiar with. It was what usually appeared when he knew he had been wrong but he was going to fight it out anyway. The man was stubborn if nothing else. 

“Nothing, now if you excuse me I have someplace to be and you have someone waiting for you back in the hotel. Have a goodnight” he honestly couldn’t help it when some contempt seeped into his words. He turned around to walk away again, when a hand stopped him.

“You don’t get to do this again Erik, you don’t get to walk away after”

“After what?” Erik snarled snatching his arm back, “spare me your bullshit Xavier, five years without it has considerably lowered my threshold for it”

Charles’s eyes flashed as he grew redder by the second, “Oh I see, you are the same arrogant, stubborn prick who just can’t, won’t listen” his accent grew stronger as he lost his temper, “you refused to listen then...”

“Erik!” Emma’s voice cut into their argument, “here you are shouting in the parking lot while we have been waiting for you for a while now, how terribly inconsiderate of you” She placed a bracing hand on his back, “Oh and if it isn’t Charles” she smiled at him, “I didn’t think you had it in you.”

“Emma” Charles acknowledged with a nod, eyes still fixed on Erik. 

“What are you doing here darling, last I heard you were in Cambodia”

“We had a Marco situation” a hint of a sardonic smile appeared on Charles’s face, “I had to hurry back”

Erik’s eyes snapped back to Charles’s face, who was now fortunately looking at Emma as she asked him more inane questions.

“You are a treasure darling, Sadly we have to leave now, so we must bid you goodnight Xavier. Try not to wreck the chandelier like you did last time”

“That was once, my dear Emma, and it would be boorish if I were to do it again. Only dull people are repetitive”

Emma’s tinkling laugh pierced the night air, she tucked her arm securely between Erik’s, “we must not scare Erik here, he has just shifted and he will think horribly of us if we continue in this way” Erik looked up at her with shock and a little anger, what the fuck was she doing. 

“Oh we can’t have that can we” came the smooth reply, “I have a reputation to uphold.”

He didn’t know this Charles, Erik realised as he heard him make small talk, this charming, cynical man dressed in that expensive suit was not the person he knew. He was too much like Sharon with his fake smiles and clever ripostes. The admission pained him and it all too much again. 

“Emma” he interrupted, “we need to leave” 

“Of course dear, I am afraid we really must rush now Charles, I really do wish we had time to chat more”

“All beautiful things are brief Emma, that’s what makes them charming”

Erik turned and left without a word, ignoring Emma as she laughed and kissed Charles on the cheek before she followed. 

“Why the fuck would you want to get into a fight with Charles Xavier of all people Erik, he owns the…...”

He ignored Emma’s admonishments as he tried to calm himself. Maybe this was the closure he needed. The Charles he loved no longer existed. He had been living a lie and this was the push he needed to wake up. 

But he couldn’t help a last look even as he walked away, Charles was standing exactly where they had left him, watching them go.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Such accidental meetings much wow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for the delay. Not really happy about this chapter, it is a little rushed. Work is hard, grade school was awesome. 
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> Constructive criticism would be really appreciated. 
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> Enjoy!!!

Xavier and Erik were in the same class, but they had never talked. He usually sat at the back with the cool bunch. Xavier always sat in the front with the other dorks. It was pure accident that Miss Daniels had made them sit together for the reading lesson. The dweeb with the bow-tie had taken one look at him and launched into a spiel about how he loved meeting new people and wasn’t it just lovely that were going to be friends and would Erik mind terribly if they picked the book about dinosaurs, because he loved dinosaurs. Erik had gaped at him in open-mouthed surprise. It was with mild horror that he found himself nodding to whatever he had to say. They had end up with a big and fat book full of pictures and small text. Erik had felt rather proud carrying it to his seat. As it turned out he rather enjoyed the book. He really liked the Brachiosaurus, it was a shame that it died before Erik had a chance to meet it. They spent many hours since discussing about what actually happened to the dinosaurs. Charles said it was obviously the meteor strike. Erik knew that it was the aliens. 

Therefore when Shaw had attempted to drown the rather diminutive Xavier sibling in the toilet during lunch, Erik had punched him. Charles had grinned at him surreptitiously throughout the scolding they had received from the teacher about fighting in school. Shaw had been suspended. It was awesome. Since then, the Xavier siblings had taken to following Erik around the school, much like a pair of besotted ducklings. Raven refused to let her brother leave her alone during lunch. And she had taken quite a shine to Erik ever since he had punched Shaw. That one had a thing for violence, she did. By the end of the year Charles and Erik were best friends, absolutely inseparable, the former’s unfortunate bow-tie notwithstanding. 

X

 

Erik woke up in the morning with a parched throat and a dull headache. Last night had been a mess. He had vague memories of being very vocal and upset and Azazel and Emma hugging him. He could feel his ears burn, well that was mortifying. He got up from the bed with a sigh. He had to rehydrate himself if he was to finish unpacking today. He was going to arrange his flat, make good food for himself, and get his fucking life together. There was no longer any space for Charles or any Charles related memories in his life anymore. 

The morning and afternoon passed away in a haze of work. At six he finally sat down with a huff on the sofa. Without a detritus of boxes flooding the place, his flat actually looked nice. A bit cramped, but it was his and he loved it. He briefly thought about skyping his mother, no doubt she would be pleased at his efficiency, but then he didn’t have the energy to deal with the barrage of questions she would ask him. He would call her later at night. He ordered a pizza and was just settling down in his bed with his laptop when his phone beeped. It was Steve, asking him if he wanted to meet for dinner tomorrow. Erik stared at the phone screen for sometime before replying, all his reasons to refuse had been shocked out of his system yesterday. And why shouldn’t he, Erik mused as he typed a yes, tomorrow was another day.

He took the morning bus to work. Thankfully it was barely twenty minutes from his apartment. Animus and Co. was an architectural firm, and Erik had dreamt of working with them ever since he had been in college. Walking into the office building was a little nerve wracking but he managed to get past the receptionist without making a fool of himself. Some woman whose name he couldn’t remember took him to his department and introduced him to the rest of his team. He had then been shown his seat, given a welcome kit of office supplies and then dragged to a project meeting. The rest of the day was brilliant. Erik’s team was working on designing a green hotel at the outskirts of Genosha and they were scheduled to go there the next day to get an idea for the blueprints. The end of the day came entirely too soon and Erik was in high spirits as he made his way towards Sackleys for his dinner with Steve. He could do this he smiled, he could really do this. 

Dinner was surprisingly nice. The distinct lack of any kind of a spark between them was more than compensated by Steve’s surprisingly genial nature. It had been years since Erik had been on an actual date. The last time he had been on one was with Charles, a few months before their graduation. They had been celebrating in Erik’s car with a pile of greasy food and whiskey stolen from Kurt’s private stash. Erik was trying to grow a beard much to Charles’s amusement. That idiot wouldn’t stop laughing and Erik had to kiss him to shut him up. They had both reached home rather late that night. If his mother had grounded him, it was completely Charles’s fault. 

Erik didn’t realise he had been smiling till he realised Steve was staring at him in confusion.

“Alright there buddy? You have been away for a good minute now”

“Of course, I am sorry, I am afraid that it has been a rather long day”

He tried to deflect any further questions by asking about the new class Steve was teaching. It was the only impetus the man needed to begin an enthusiastic account of a ten year old’s adventures with glitter glue. 

They had parted ways around 10, making plans to meet later in the week. They worked together, Erik thought as he walked away. They had many interests that they shared. Steve didn’t seem to mind Erik’s rather dry sense of humor, they both agreed that Ayn Rand’s philosophy was rather shoddy. This could work out.   
X

The property that they were looking at was nestled cosily in the middle of nowhere. Moira, their project manager assured them it was all part of the atmosphere the hotel was aiming at. Erik walked through the place taking notes, and trying to inconspicuously walk away from his rather chattery teammate. It was too early in the day for him to be social, and if Andrew wanted to go on about his rather insipid ideas for his place, he would have to wait before Erik had enough coffee in his bloodstream to brace himself. Making a quick escape, he finally found a quiet little grass patch to sit under a tree, he took out his sketchbook and started penciling down designs. Peace at last. 

His phone vibrating loudly in his pocket almost made him jump. He swore as his hand spilled over his coffee. He fought down a scowl as he picked up his phone only to be scolded by Moira.

“Get your ass down here Lehnsherr, the client is here and god help me if I don’t see you in the next thirty seconds”

She cut the phone before he could get a word in. Spectacular, he was now to face his irate boss, Andrew the idiot and possibly an overly entitled client without his caffeine crutch. Just brilliant. He had honestly not realised that he had come that far when he started to walk back. As he reached the scene of action he was greeted by the mournful and slightly accusing expression on Andrew’s face. But that was not what stopped him in his tracks. Charles. 

The man stood with an easy confidence in a light waistcoat and dress pants, easily charming the group around him, all of them leaning towards him as they laughed. Erik could feel his heart pounding in his chest. This was a fucking joke. He was about to turn around and walk away, Moira be damned, when said person spotted him and barked his name.

“Lehnsherr! What are you standing there for? Come here and meet Mr Xavier” 

Charles turned and his smile faltered as he saw him walking towards them. Erik had to hand it to the man though, the mask was on his face before anyone could notice anything was amiss. 

“Mr Xavier, this is Erik, he is the newest member of our team. He will be handling the design aspect with Andrew here” Moira introduced him briskly.

“Aah Erik, fancy running into you again so soon” Charles stretched out his hand towards him, smiling.

If Charles was keeping up with his bullshit charade, Erik would oblige him. He didn’t give a damn either way.

“Mr Xavier” Erik watched in pleasure as Charles almost flinched, “it is a pleasure to meet you” he shook his hand, letting go of it almost immediately. 

“You know each other” Moira asked curiously from the side as Erik moved away.

“Oh we were in school together” Charles turned to smile at Erik, repeating his words verbatim. 

Erik ignored the surprised glances of the team as he coolly said, “it was a long time ago, we didn’t know each other that well”.

“Yes we didn’t did we? A shame I am sure” Charles gave him a tight smile as he turned to Moira, “now darling, you said you had some ideas that you had to run through me”

“Yes Charles, if you follow me..”

Erik tuned out the rest of the conversation until Andrew nudged him with his elbow, 

“Come on Erik, we need to go with them. You can’t disappear again, or boss will be mad”

Erik looked at him completely nonplussed, but he allowed himself to be dragged by his partner. They followed Charles around as Moira walked him through the crumbling property, telling them about the changes that they were thinking to make. Erik thought most of them were unfeasible considering the weak foundation of the current structure but he kept his doubts to himself. If he reveled in the feeling of telling Moira how wrong she was later, he kept it to himself. He almost jumped when Charles called out his name.

“Erik, you have the look of a man who has some reservations about the plan?” Erik looked up to see Charles looking at him with a slight smile playing at the corners of his lips. Damn that man.

“Well?” Moira asked him with her eyebrows raised, “don’t be shy Lehnsherr, speak up”

Erik almost scowled at her,

“One, the foundation isn’t nearly strong enough to support the added floors and adding more pillars will add unnecessary expenditure. The better option would be to spread out the structure. The glass faces are actually another bad idea if you want this green resort to bemore than a sham. Not only does it mean that it will consume more electricity but it also acts as a death sentence for the birds around.”

He stopped to see Moira smiling at him widely before she turned to Charles and asked him,

“Well Charles he will do, won’t he?”

Said man almost jumped as he looked away from Erik hastily, the tips of his ears a little red, “of course love, I trust your judgement implicitly in any case”

“Was this supposed to be a test” Erik asked, not a little irritated.

“Welcome to the team Lehnsherr” Moira merely smirked at him as she walked away with Charles, already involving him in conversation. 

“So…..” Andrew walked up to him smiling, Erik looked around a little frantically trying to find an escape route, “looks like we are to be partners after all”. 

Erik almost cringed at the bright smile that was levelled his way. He could only watch in morbid horror as the man dragged him towards the makeshift canteen that had been put up in the back gardens for lunch. 

“So you see Xaviercorp is actually trying to bring sustainable...” Erik tuned him out as he was dragged into Charles’s vicinity again. He just couldn’t catch a break today could he. The object of Erik’s consternation was sitting under an umbrella casually leaning against his chair as he gesticulated widely with his hands. Erik almost felt a smile tug at his lips before he caught himself. At least some things would never change. 

“Erik, my man you with me bro?” he followed his gaze to Charles, “aah, it must be tough, school friend becoming your boss no” he smiled at him companionably.

“You know I had a mate in college who...” 

“Andrew” Erik interrupted, “I am afraid I am not feeling too hungry. Actually I feel a little nauseous, do you mind” he attempted to walk away as he said it,

“Of course my dude, do you need anything, I will just..”

“No, please, I just need to sit for a moment. Tell Moira I will be back in sometime” and he walked away before Andrew could raise anymore objections. 

 

He didn’t stop walking till he reached his previous spot, away from people. He lay down on the grass and crossed his arms underneath his head, content to watch the dappled sunlight as it fell across the grass. Life, was unfair he mused. He was surprised by how calm he felt even after everything. The second meeting was bearable, it would just get better from here. Erik’s exhaustion coupled with the lazy rustling of the leaves almost lulled him into sleep. He had dozed off when he woke up to see someone staring down at him.

He rubbed his eyes blearily as he looked up.

“Had a good nap there Erik?” Charles’s soft voice shocked him out of his sleepiness.

“Charles” he almost gaped. Almost. “What are you doing here”

The damned man sat right next to him with a huff, “we need to talk, we can’t go on like this”

“What do you want Charles” Erik sighed heavily as he sat up, “I can’t..”

“Can we just stop with this hostility” Charles interrupted him, gazing at him earnestly, “we are supposed to work together, and it will be better if we get along”

Erik snorted at that, “you mean under you” he ignored the disapproving look on the other’s face, “don’t worry, I have no intentions of disclosing our past or letting the others know anything”

“That is not what I mean Erik” Charles looked at him with almost an hurt expression on his face, “is it how it is always going to be now?”

It wasn’t fair, Erik thought yet again as they sat there gazing at each other. The sunlight fell softly on Charles’s hair and he could see the freckles on his nose. All that Erik wanted to do was to place his hand on the curve of his cheek and draw him in and have him soft and warm in his arms. He paused to breathe in deeply.

“How else would it be Charles” he asked with a self- deprecating laugh. Savouring the name as he said it. This intimacy, it made his heart ache with want. Here again after years, close enough to touch, he could pretend that the past few years had never happened. Here in this place, time had no bearing and it was just them again. 

“Not like this” Charles replied, his voice a little rough, “god Erik, never like this” he rubbed a hand quickly across his eyes, and laughed. “It has been years, we can start again can’t we?”

“What?..”

“It was the past Erik, doesn’t mean we can’t be friends now” Charles smiled at him a little tentatively.

Just the past, of course. 

Erik forced his own, Charles hated leaving loose-ends untied. He could atleast return the favour, do himself a favour.

“We could try” he said finally, and Charles rewarded him with one of his warmest smiles. Erik could feel something unclench in his chest. Yes he owed himself that favour. 

“It is a pleasure to meet you again my friend” Charles grinned at him, and Erik couldn’t quite keep the smile off his lips. He was such a dork still. 

Erik was standing before Charles could stop him, “Oh, are you leaving?” he asked dismayed.

“I am afraid I have been missing for too long, Moira will have my head”

Charles’s eyes shone as he laughed, “avoiding Andrew already?”

“How did you?..”

“I know you Erik” he answered softly, 

“It has been five years Charles, we know nothing about each other”

“Always so cynical” Charles shook his head as he lay down on the grass.

“Better to be cynical than disappointed” 

“Does Eddie know you talk like that?” Erik could hear the laughter in Charles’s voice.

“A distinct lack of snitches in these recent years has ensured my safety”

Charles snorted, “I will let Raven know that there is a job opening”

It was painfully easy to fall back into their rhythm.

“How is Raven by the way?”

“Oh you know...”

They were interrupted by the loud ringing of Charles’s phone, he gave Erik a sheepish look and then sighed as he looked at his phone screen.

“Well hello darling, of course I am!...Don’t be ridiculous, and miss out on the pleasure of your company?.. I will see you at the Carlton at 8 then? Splendid! See you later.”

Erik froze, for a second. What was he doing, he couldn’t let himself fall back on old habits. Here he was acting like a besotted teen again when Charles had merely offered friendship. He didn’t intend to spend the next decade pining and guessing. It was ridiculous. 

“Sorry about that, you know how it can be..”

“I am afraid I don’t” he said coolly, “but if you will excuse me, I really must leave now”

“Erik” Charles looked up at him, eyebrows furrowed in confusion, “what?”

“I will see you around Charles. Say hi to Raven for me”

And he was walking away again. It seemed to him that it was all that he could do of late. He caught sight of Moira standing near the entrance, she waved when she saw him. Erik let work bury him for the rest of the day.


End file.
